A Civil Action (film)
| writer = Steven Zaillian | based on = | starring = | music = Danny Elfman | cinematography = Conrad L. Hall | editing = Wayne Wahrman | studio = | distributor = Buena Vista Pictures (North America) United International Pictures (International) | released = | runtime = 115 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = $75 million | gross = $56 million }} 'A Civil Action' is a 1998 American legal drama film written and directed by Steven Zaillian, based on the book of the same name by Jonathan Harr. Starring John Travolta and Robert Duvall, it tells the true story of a court case about environmental pollution that took place in Woburn, Massachusetts, in the 1980s. The film and court case revolve around the issue of trichloroethylene, an industrial solvent, and its contamination of a local aquifer. A lawsuit was filed over industrial operations that appeared to have caused fatal cases of leukemia and cancer, as well as a wide variety of other health problems, among the citizens of the city. The case involved is [[Anderson v. Cryovac|''Anne Anderson, et al., v. Cryovac, Inc., et al.]]. The first reported decision in the case is at 96 F.R.D. 431 (denial of defendants' motion to dismiss). Duvall was nominated for an Oscar for his performance. Plot Environmental toxicants in the city of Woburn, Massachusetts contaminate the area's water supply, and become linked to a number of deaths of local children. Cocky Boston attorney Jan Schlichtmann (John Travolta) and his small firm of personal injury lawyers are asked by Woburn resident Anne Anderson (Kathleen Quinlan) to take legal action against those responsible. After originally rejecting a seemingly unprofitable case, Jan finds a major environmental issue involving groundwater contamination that has great legal potential and realizes the local tanneries could be responsible for several deadly cases of leukemia. Jan decides to go forward against two giant corporations which own the tanneries – Beatrice Foods and W. R. Grace and Company – thinking that the case could possibly earn him millions and boost his firm's reputation. Bringing a class action lawsuit in federal court, Jan represents families who demand an apology and a clean-up of contaminated areas. However, the case develops a life of its own and takes over the lives of Jan and his firm. The lawyers for Beatrice and Grace are not easy to intimidate, a judge (John Lithgow) makes a key ruling against the plaintiffs, and soon Jan and his partners find themselves in a position where their professional and financial survival has been staked on the outcome of the case. Jan stubbornly declines settlement offers, gradually coming to believe that the case is about more than just money. He allows his pride to take over, making outrageous demands and deciding that he must win at all costs. Pressures take their toll, with Jan and his partners going deeply into debt. After a lengthy trial, the case is dismissed in favor of Beatrice, after Jan turned down an offer of $20 million from Beatrice attorney Jerry Facher (Robert Duvall) during jury deliberations. The plaintiffs are forced to accept a settlement with Grace that barely covers the expense involved in trying the case, leaving Jan and his partners broke. The families are deeply disappointed, and Jan's partners dissolve their partnership, effectively breaking up the firm. Jan ends up alone, living in a small apartment and running a small-time law practice. He manages to find the last key witness to the case, but lacks resources and courage to appeal the judgement. The files are archived while Jan later files for bankruptcy. A postscript reveals that the EPA, building on Jan's work on the case, later brought its own enforcement action against Beatrice and Grace, forcing them to pay millions to clean up the land and the groundwater. It takes Jan several years to settle his debts, and he now practices environmental law in New Jersey. Differences from the book The plotline has been greatly simplified from the book, e.g. later findings by the Environmental Protection Agency and its potential consequences that might have allowed the plaintiffs another trial against Beatrice, and which did ultimately lead to a conviction of perjury against John Riley, and improper conduct for Mary Ryan, are referred to only briefly in the epilogue. The characters Charles Nesson, Mark Phillips, Rikki Klieman, Teresa Padro and others have been removed from the film version, as well as the plot points that they contribute. Cast * John Travolta as Jan Schlichtmann * Tony Shalhoub as Kevin Conway * William H. Macy as James Gordon * Željko Ivanek as Bill Crowley * Kathleen Quinlan as Anne Anderson * Mary Mara as Kathy Boyer * Robert Duvall as Jerry Facher * Bruce Norris as William Cheeseman * Peter Jacobson as Neil Jacobs * Sydney Pollack as Al Eustis * Daniel von Bargen as Mr. Granger * John Lithgow as Judge Walter J. Skinner * Dan Hedaya as John Riley * James Gandolfini as Al Love * Stephen Fry as Dr. George Pinder * Robert Cicchini as PI Lawyers Kathy Bates appears in an uncredited cameo in the final scene as the judge overseeing Jan's bankruptcy hearing. Filming The movie was shot in Boston, Dedham, Massachusetts, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, Waltham, Massachusetts, Northbridge, Massachusetts, and Palmer, Massachusetts; Fenway Park, Boston Public Garden, Beacon Hill, Boston. Release Box office Despite receiving mostly positive reception from critics and with Duvall getting an Oscar nomination, A Civil Action was nowhere near as successful as anticipated with audiences. Its domestic gross was a mere $56 million, well below its $75 million budget. During its original theatrical release A Civil Action was competing with other Christmas season blockbusters including Shakespeare in Love, The Prince of Egypt, Star Trek: Insurrection, You've Got Mail, Stepmom and Patch Adams. The film was successful on limited release. Reception On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 61% based on reviews from 70 critics. The site's consensus called the film "Intelligent and unconventional." On Metacritic the film has a score of 68 out of 100, based on reviews from 25 critics. Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade B on scale of A to F. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3.5 out of 4 and wrote: "Civil Action is like John Grisham for grownups." References External links * * * * * * A Civil Action: Before the book and before the film (early newspaper articles by reporter Charles C. Ryan) * Beyond A Civil Action hosted by W. R. Grace & Co. * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060911054221/http://www.usfca.edu/pj/articles/Civil_Action-Asimow.htm In Toxic Tort Litigation, Truth Lies at the Bottom of a Bottomless Pit] by Eric Asimow, Picturing Justice: The On-Line Journal of Law & Popular Culture, February 1999 * Anderson v. Beatrice Foods Index and copies of every pleading filed in the Woburn suit, maintained by Florida State University College of Law Category:1998 films Category:American films Category:English-language films Category:1990s drama films Category:1990s legal films Category:Films set in the 1980s Category:American legal drama films Category:American courtroom films Category:Drama films based on actual events Category:Environmental films Category:Films about lawyers Category:Films based on non-fiction books Category:Films set in Massachusetts Category:Films shot in Dedham, Massachusetts Category:Films scored by Danny Elfman Category:Films with screenplays by Steven Zaillian Category:Films produced by Scott Rudin Category:Films directed by Steven Zaillian Category:Touchstone Pictures films Category:Paramount Pictures films